Water will help you LOSE weight, not gain it. There are rare medical instances that can be exceptions to a degree, but those would likely limit performance as well. It flushes out toxins and other crap when you work out, can help you feel better overall and help you lose weight faster and make workouts more productive. It helps you heal too, you can take more punishment and work harder and longer. It's vital for proper bowel movements; too little water equals constipation, and that'll cause bloating and some weight gain I suppose, particularly if lots of meat is eaten. That said, you don't wanna do a weigh in after drinking a ton of water after PT Also, eating your protein a couple days prior, and salads after that, help empty your bowels a little before weigh ins as well IME. In fact, drinking water or having a full bowel just prior to weigh in is the ONLY time that water is going to make you fatter. Trust me.
In infantry AIT, basic really, during summer of 2001 we were told that the "average American citizen is in a constant state of dehydration and they aren't even aware of it", which resulted in us carrying a piece of 550 cord tied to your first button hole on your collar. Every 1qt. canteen you drink, you tie a knot in it. You should have at least 8 knots by the end of the day for any average day, so 2 gallons total. Tough, hotter days you may drink more.
Few guys neglected this and just tied nots to make 'em happy. Saw a few guys fall right the fuck out too. One fell out on a 100' helicopter rappel we were doing. Good thing he fell out BEFORE jumping from the mockup. Belay or no, that's gotta be scarey. Saw a guy die, right in front of me, in full MOPP4, noon time, during July at NTC. He fell out right in front of the Bde. medical tent too, and there was nothing anyone could do. I watched on thermal, and he was cooking up. Had stopped sweating. Very bad.
If you're working out and trying to lose weight, you need to drink a lot of water in this fashion. A healthy diet with the proper intake for your level of activity vs. weight you want to lose will keep you good to go. If you're on, say, long runs or road marches and drinking lots of water, I find those gel packs GNC sells to be AWESOME for balancing the electrolytes and keeping you from losing too much energy. Just great.
Water is key to working out and losing weight. Remember, if you drink caffeine, then you need to compensate by drinking more water. Something like a cup of water per cup of plain coffee, if memory serves. Any diuretic will cause you to feel deydrated because you simply evacuated whatever you drank, drink more to feel better. Too much salt in your diet can make you feel bloated and add water weight, but this is a sodium issue, so reduce sodium and guess what? drinking more water flushes the sodium out.
Oh, I like Evian or Fuji the best, but it's expensive as hell. Nevertheless, it has minerals in it that make it taste much better but also prevent it from being too "dry". "Dry" water, or 100% pure water isn't exactly the best thing to drink I hear. Dasani, Aquafina, etc., they're all dry waters. Look at the label, find one with some minerals in it if you can. If you have to buy water.
Greg: I feel bad for you bro, those VA docs will kill you if you don't find a civilian doctor for at least a good consult. Maybe VA can even give you an outside consult (I got one for my back) if you aren't getting anything resolved there. Personally, I won't let VA operate on me, EVER. I know enough about medicine to know how bad they are (mom's been a nurse since the 70's). Being admitted there scares the shit out of me, it really does. But I bet if you find a good doctor, and you either have or are on someone's insurance, then you could maybe find someone that can assist you better with the CHF and fluid buildup. I know I got MUCH better care going outside the VA on my single worst complaint. Take care either way, wish you the best.
In infantry AIT, basic really, during summer of 2001 we were told that the "average American citizen is in a constant state of dehydration and they aren't even aware of it", which resulted in us carrying a piece of 550 cord tied to your first button hole on your collar. Every 1qt. canteen you drink, you tie a knot in it. You should have at least 8 knots by the end of the day for any average day, so 2 gallons total. Tough, hotter days you may drink more.
Few guys neglected this and just tied nots to make 'em happy. Saw a few guys fall right the fuck out too. One fell out on a 100' helicopter rappel we were doing. Good thing he fell out BEFORE jumping from the mockup. Belay or no, that's gotta be scarey. Saw a guy die, right in front of me, in full MOPP4, noon time, during July at NTC. He fell out right in front of the Bde. medical tent too, and there was nothing anyone could do. I watched on thermal, and he was cooking up. Had stopped sweating. Very bad.
If you're working out and trying to lose weight, you need to drink a lot of water in this fashion. A healthy diet with the proper intake for your level of activity vs. weight you want to lose will keep you good to go. If you're on, say, long runs or road marches and drinking lots of water, I find those gel packs GNC sells to be AWESOME for balancing the electrolytes and keeping you from losing too much energy. Just great.
Water is key to working out and losing weight. Remember, if you drink caffeine, then you need to compensate by drinking more water. Something like a cup of water per cup of plain coffee, if memory serves. Any diuretic will cause you to feel deydrated because you simply evacuated whatever you drank, drink more to feel better. Too much salt in your diet can make you feel bloated and add water weight, but this is a sodium issue, so reduce sodium and guess what? drinking more water flushes the sodium out.
Oh, I like Evian or Fuji the best, but it's expensive as hell. Nevertheless, it has minerals in it that make it taste much better but also prevent it from being too "dry". "Dry" water, or 100% pure water isn't exactly the best thing to drink I hear. Dasani, Aquafina, etc., they're all dry waters. Look at the label, find one with some minerals in it if you can. If you have to buy water.
Greg: I feel bad for you bro, those VA docs will kill you if you don't find a civilian doctor for at least a good consult. Maybe VA can even give you an outside consult (I got one for my back) if you aren't getting anything resolved there. Personally, I won't let VA operate on me, EVER. I know enough about medicine to know how bad they are (mom's been a nurse since the 70's). Being admitted there scares the shit out of me, it really does. But I bet if you find a good doctor, and you either have or are on someone's insurance, then you could maybe find someone that can assist you better with the CHF and fluid buildup. I know I got MUCH better care going outside the VA on my single worst complaint. Take care either way, wish you the best.
